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HOW TO TEACH 



TO READ 




AMOS M. KELLOGG 




N¥M YORK E. L. KELLOGG & CO. Chicago 



f)ow to Zcncb /iDanuals. Bo. 4. 



HOW TO TEACH 
TO READ 



THE TEN GREAT STEPS FULLY EXPLAINED 



By AMOS M. KELLOGG, 



M 



EDITOR OP " THE SCHOOL JoURNAl/' AUTHOR OF '' SCHOOL MANAGEMENT," 



"how TO TEACH BOTANY," ETC. 




NEW YORK AND CHICAGO : 

E. L KELLOGG & CO. 



TWO COPIES RECEIVE^. 






Library of CoBgrdt% ^ 

Office of the -^.J>^ 



THE "HOW TO TEACH" SERIES 

This series of books gives, in compact form, latest and best 
methods of teaching. They are written from the school-room 
standpoint and contain just the help the teachers most need. All 
are well printed, on good paper, fully illustrated and uniformly 
bound in flexible cloth covers. 25 centS each. 



.X^J- 



No. I — How TO Manage Busy Work. Kellogg 
2 — How TO Teach Botany. Kellogg 
3 — How TO Teach Paper- Folding and Cutting. 
4 — How to Teach to Read. Kellogg 
5 — How TO Make Charts. Kellogg 
6 — How TO Teach Minerals. Tayne 
7 — How TO Teach Birds. T^ayne 
8 — How TO Teach Bugs and Beetles. 'Payne 
9 — How TO Teach Fractions. Kellogg 
lo — How TO Teach Clay Modeling. Kellogg 
II — How to Teach Primary Arithmetic. Seeley 
IN preparation 

12 — How to Teach Butterflies. 'Payne 

13 — How TO Teagh Geography 

14 — How TO Teach U. S. History 

15 — How TO Teach Physiology 

16 — How TO Teach Composition 

i7~How TO Teach Penmanship 

18 — How TO Teach Spelling 

19 — How to Teach About Fishes 

20 — How TO Teach About Trees 



Latter 



Copyright, 1900, by 

E. L. KELLOGG & CO., 

NEW YORK. 



SECOND COPY, 






\ •^ © o 



Preface. 

Within the past ten years a great deal of thought has 
been given to the methods to be employed in teaching a 
child to read. It has been apparent that while children 
assuredly have learned to read, (1) that a great number 
have no pressing desire to employ themselves afterwards 
in reading. (This has necessarily attracted great atten- 
tion, for who has ever seen a child that has learned to 
talk that did not afterwards talk at every opportunity ?) 
(2) That many children are mentally stunted by the meth- 
ods employed in teaching them arithmetic is admitted, 
and this must be true also of those taught to read, for the 
methods employed are equdly defective. (3) That the 
directions given for teaching to read have been too gen- 
eral and vague. (4) That a clear philosophy of the mode 
by which written language is acquired is not usually pos- 
sessed by the teacher of children ; a routine is fixed upon 
and is blindly followed. 

It is not deemed best to present in this book the men- 
tal processes by which reading is acquired ; but a knowl- 
edge of them is believed to have a real value to the 
primary teacher. (1) There is here a presentation of the 
GREAT STEPS in the process of learning to read, with the 
reasons for them. (2) There are methods and apparatus 
proposed by which the desire for activity, (on which the 
intellectual salvation of the child depends), can be ration- 
ally employed in the field of printed words and produce 
practical results. 



4 Teaching to Read. 

A very simple apparatus to aid in the process of learn- 
ing to read is proposed and will be found to be invaluable. 
(See page 6.) It is quite probable that many teachers 
will think they can teach to read just as well without any 
apparatus or tools. Let such remember that our present 
advancement in civilization is mainly due to tools or ap- 
paratus. What would the Kindergarten be without its 
apparatus ? An apparatus for teaching to read is just as 
necessary as are the ball, blocks, etc., in the Kindergar- 
ten. This has been recognized, and its use has been sys- 
tematized and adapted so as to be of extensive usefulness. 

MARKED LETTERS. 

A few diacritical marks are employed and their use 
taught ; they are the ones employed in Webster's diction- 
aries. The meaning of a mark over or under a letter is 
easily understood by a child as it is taught in this book. (See 
page 11.) Marked letters are of immense aid in reading. 



apron 


gives 


a 


ear gives c 


apple 






a 


Qgg - e 


arm 






a 


iron '' 1 


awl 






a 

• ■ 


ink " i 


ox 






o 


spoon " oo 


oats 






o 


foot '' oo 


tube 






u 


oil '' oi 


umbre 


;lla 




u 


ounce " ou 


bush 






u 

• 


3oy " O)^ 


sing 






ng 


owl '' ow 


gem 






• 

g 


cent '' c 



General Directions. 

1. No book is to be in the hands of the pupil ; the in- 
struction proposed here is preliminary to the use of a 
book. 

2. The class (of moderate size) is to be seated around 
a table. 

3. As the object is to resid printed words, printed words 
are to be employed ; not script, or blackboard print, or 
blackboard script. The whole attention is to be concen- 
trated on one form of words — the printed form. No capi- 
tals are to be employed in this first stage, except the 
capital I. Script may be employed later. 

There will be two elements in the method employed ; 
one concerns the arrangement and presentation of the 
knowledge to be acquired ; the other the personal attitude 
of the teacher towards the child. 

FIRST, 

(1) Employ objects and not a book. 

(2) Have the words concern life interests. 

(3) Have the " statements " express the child's thoughts 
and feelings. 

(4) Devise many employments (seat work) in visible 
language. 

(5) Devise and employ apparatus as will be needed. 

SECOND. 

(1) Take a personal interest in the statements of the 
little reader. (Think of the stimulus derived from the 
shouts of the onlookers in a base ball game.) 

5 



6 Teaching to Read. 

(2) Do not demand advanced thinking and reasoning, 
for the child has not arrived at a stage of mental develop- 
ment to employ these. 

(3) Do not have too many children in the class ; take 
them in sections if needful, so you may get them close to 
you. 

(4) Do not enforce a position of the body which de- 
mands effort and thought ; for this will diminish the 
amount to be expended on the reading. 



Apparatus for Teaching to Read. 

A careful reading of the principles stated will make it 
plain to that teach the use of visible language some ap- 
paratus is needed ; this consists of the following : 

1. Twenty objects for each pupil and a box to hold 
the objects for each. 

2. A small box to hold the names of these objects — 
one for each pupil. 

3. Printed words and a box — a " word box " with parti- 
tions — one for each pupil. (See inside of first cover.) 

4. Printed letters in a box — a "letter box" with parti- 
tions. (See inside of first cover.) 

5. " Word-holder " material on cards and books. The 
" word-holder '' material, mounted on sheets of stiff paper 
with covers, furnishes employment for the little fingers 
before they have power to write. The pupils can " set 
up " words at their seats and at home and bring them for 
inspection. (See inside of last cover.) 

6. Suitable pictures. 

7. Objects to be brought in as lamp, glove, etc. 



Teaching to Read. 7 

NOTICE. 

(1) The names of the objects, (2) the idioms — (sen- 
tences), (3) the similar words, and (4) the additional 
words are printed on sheets of stiff cardboard (see appen- 
dix), and can be cut out by the teacher and furnished to 
pupils ; other sheets can be purchased of the publishers. 
The box proposed for each pupil can be made and parti- 
tions put in by the teacher. 



The Great Steps in Teaching to Read. 

The Preliminary Step.— TeacA that things can berepre- 
sented by words. This is the first of the movements made 
by the teacher to introduce the child to a knowledge of 
printed language. This step is usually quickly taken ; 
most children have arrived at this stage of thought be- 
fore entering school. It is a foundation step ; on it the 
mental structure is built/ It is not taught by telling the 
pupils that things have visible signs. It must be actually 
shown.* Specific directions will be found under " Typical 
Lessons." 

The word *^step" is used to express the mental ad- 
vancement effected, but it must not be supposed that it 
will be accomplished by one effort of the pupil ; there 
must be repetition; but it must be repetition with 
interest. 

It may seem to some wholly unnecessary to present ob- 
jects in order to teach their names ; but it must be remem- 
bered that the child learned audible signs by means of 
objects ; it will be the natural way to introduce him to 
visible signs by using them. 

* A missionary on one of the Sandwicli Islands wanted a chisel 
which was at the house ; he wrote, "I want the chisel " on a chip 
and sent it by a native. The missionary's wife took the chip, read 
it and Kave the tool. The native was overcome with surprise ; he 
showed the chip to others and told them what had happened. 
Thus they took this '' step," 

8 



First Step. 

Showing Objects and Teaching Their Names. — The 
end the teacher has in view in taking this step is to 
lay a foundation for a knowledge of the powers of the 
consonants. With this purpose in view, twenty objects 
are selected whose names begin with consonants ; by seeing 
and handling the objects and names, and pronouncing 
the names, the names become "keywords." The pupil 
will soon pass from the stage of looking at the word 
"doll" as a name merely; he will conclude (1) that all 
words beginning with d will begin with the sound with 
which he begins "doll;" (2) later on, he will learn that 
wherever d appears it will have the sound it had in 
"doll." 

THE TWENTY OBJECTS. 

The twenty objects here named have been selected as 
available, inexpensive, of small size and easily put away. 
The names of these objects will furnish 

TWENTY " CONSONANT KEY- WORDS." 

6all gum lock qmll i;elvet whip 

cup Aole mat rope wax shoe 

doll jug nut silk i/ard 

/an key pen fop dnc 

On each of these objects a piece of "word-holder" is 
to be fastened where its printed name is to be inserted. 
This " word-holder " will be shaped as found on inside of 
last cover and can be made by the teacher or purchased of 
the publishers of the book, Messrs, E. L. Kellogg & Co. 



10 Teaching to Read. 

By learning the twenty names of these objects and be- 
ing able to place the twenty names on these objects 
readily, the child really begins to read, that is to deal with 
visible signs of things. He learns the signs by seeing them 
on the objects ; soon he will recognize them when de- 
tached. He had before a concept of a ball and an audi- 
ble sign of that concept. He now has a visible sign for 
that concept. 

The ball can be easily made by winding string or yarn ; 
it need not be over an inch in diameter. 

The cup may be a tiny dolFs china cup. 

The doll may be a tiny china figure. 

The fan may be made by folding stiff manila paper. 

The gum is readily purchased at all stores and should 
be kept wrapped in its tinfoil. 

The hole may be one punched in a card. 

The jug will be the tiny affair found at all toy stores. 

The key will be any cheap trunk key. 

The lock will be cheap trunk or box lock. 

The mat will be a home-made lamp mat. 

The nut will be an English walnut, or an almond. 

The pen, any steel pen. 

The quill can be obtained in a stationery store. 

The rope may be a piece a few inches long cut from a 
clothes line, the ends fastened. 

The silk, a piece an inch or two square pasted on a 
card. 

The top, an ordinary wooden top to be bought in toy 
stores. 

The velvet, a piece an inch or two square pasted on a 
card. 

The wax, a piece of red sealing wax. 

The yard, a tape measure a yard long, purchased for 



Teaching to Read. 1 1 

five cents per dozen ; they are often given away at 
stores. 

The zinc, a piece an inch square to be got at any tin 
shop. 

The whip^ a home-made affair ; one that can be doubled 
up readily. 

The shocy a dolFs shoe. 

It will undoubtedly be thought by many that as read- 
ing has been taught by means of only a book, the use of 
objects and other apparatus will be unnecessary. This 
is an illogical conclusion. The apparatus proposed is in 
strict accord with the processes by which the child learns 
naturally to employ signs. The advantages arising from 
employing it are very great to him. 



Second Step. 

Teaching a Number of Short Sentences. — The object 
of this step is to set the child to thinking with printed 
words. He has for several years thought in audible 
language ; he has not only learned to give the name 
"bread" to an object, but to say "I want bread." 
He has thus become a thought-using being and must be 
dealt with on that plane henceforward ; if not, his devel- 
opment will be arrested. 

Having learned to know the word "doll" in its printed 
form he is ready to think about '^ doll" in a printed form. 
In these sentences the tv/enty "key- words" will be em- 
ployed. (See Typical Lessons.) 

A mental step is taken in the appearance of a concept 
when a printed word is seen ; a further step is taken in 
the appearance of a thought when a certain collection of 
printed words is seen. 

He also learns to make sounds represented by these 
words so as to cause the concepts to appear in other 
minds. 

To think, we join a subject and a predicate. We see a 
"dog ;" we see him "run;" a mental connection or joining 
of the two concepts is made, we say " the dog runs." I see 
the word " man," I see the word " walk" next to it ; the 
concepts which these represent are mentally connected ; 
I have the thought "man walks." Thinking is an auto- 
matic mental process, a joining of concepts. To employ 
the child in thinking with printed words he is taught 

12 



Teaching to Read. 13 

THIRTY SHORT INCOMPLETE SENTENCES. 

The following are parts of the most common audible 
expressions of the child, and hence are selected as a basis 
of the visible expressions he is to learn. 

I have it is a I see 

he has is this my ? does he see ? 

you have is this your ? does she see ? 

she has yes, it is do you ? 

has he ? this is oh see 

have you ? take where is the ? 

give me — — may I take ? seethe 

bring me let me take where is your ? 

I want the — is on there is 

that is your the — is by here is-^ — 

that is John's the — is in I have — and 

1. But two or three of these are to be taught at a 
time. 

2. To learn the first, select from the " word-box" the 
words ^* I have a ball," and put them down where all can 
see them, at the same time holding out the ball ; point to 
the words and hold out the ball. (See Typical Lessons.) 
So employ the twenty names already learned ; these 
thirty idioms, when completed with the "key words" 
already learned, will give 600 sentences. 

3. About thirty more words are taught by these sentencesc 



Third Step. 

Teaching More Words. — As ability to recognize 100 
or 150 words is needed before a book is put in the 
hands of the pupil, about 75 more words will be gradu- 
ally taught. These will be mainly : 

(1) Of pupils in the class ; as John. 

(2) Names of objects seen and handled : as lamp. 

(3) Names of objects seen or in pictures ; bs ehair, 
fence. 

(4) Names of qualities ; as red. 

(5) Names of actions ; as walk. 

(6) Some connecting words ; as of. 

It will not be necessary that each pupil should possess 
the objects employed in the step, but objects should 
still be em.ployed. They will handle the '* glove," or see 
the " lamp/' put its printed nam_e on it and set it aside. 
(1) This gives a reality to the printed word (nam.e) and 
takes it out of the mist that tends to surround it ; (2) 
it immensely aids in learning the word ; it gives great 
pleasure which is the great end of learning to read and 
must accompany the process. 

2. Common objects brought in. 



lamp 


cap 


wheel 


pail 


box 


bell 


book 


glove 


cloth 


watch 


leaf • 


flower 


paper 


sugar 


mug 


meat 


bread 


cake 
X4 


water 


milk 



Teaching to Read. 



15 



3. Common objects in pictures. 



chair 


head 


girl 


tree 


horse 


foot 


finger 


stove 


cat 


man 


hand 


table 


trunk 


dog 


woman 


plate 


boy 


bird 


fence 


wagon 




4. ^ 


Well-known 


qualities. 




black 


blue 


red 


orange 


yellow 


green 


white 


p*arple 


crimson 


pink 


sweet 


rough 


big 


round 


hard 


sour 


smooth 


little 


square 


soft 




5. 


Common actions. 




run 


go 


eat 


talk 


strike 


walk 


come 


drink 


read 


hop 


rise 


smile 


fall 


touch 


cry 


Bit 


laugh 


take 


look 


pull 




6. 


Connecting words. 




in 


by 


on 


and 


with 



Learning the Words. 

To teach the first set of words (names of pupils), pin a 
piece of *Vord-holder " to the sleeve of each pupil ; in it 
put the name of the pupil neatly printed. 

To teach the second and third lists, put a " word-holder *' 
on each object or picture ; exercise the pupils in putting 
in the proper words. 

Some of the fourth list will be objectively taught, the 
rest exemplifiedo The fifth list will be exemplified. (See 
the Typical Lessons for methods.) 

In words of two syllables as paper^ do not use the term 
"syllable," Bay this word has two parts; and in making 
the word put it in two parts. 



Fourth Step. 

Analyzing the << consonant" key words for the in- 
itial consonant.— It will be new to the child that ft word 
can be separated into parts. Analysis is one of the 
great powers in education ; here it make its appearance 
in teaching to read. It must be applied with pedagogic 
sliill. Note that analysis is taken up, not because it has 
an immediate usefulness which was the case in learning 
the printed name of an object, (See the Typical Les- 
sons.) 

By directing his attention to one element, as the d in 
" doll," he learns its name (sound) and concludes that all 
words bsginning with d begin with that sound ; and fur- 
ther, that wherever d appears it will have the sound it 
has in *'doll ;'' and, finally, to have the sound of d on his 
tongue whenever he sees the letter. All of this will 
come about by skilful teaching= 



s6 



Fifth Step. 

Teaching 17 Vowel << Keywords." — Here is begun a 
preparation to overcome one of the great obstacles in 
learning to read — the several different sounds of each 
vowel as "a " in "face " and " a " in " fat/' etc. To over- 
come this, certain words will be taught, which will become 
"key words." In some of these words the letters will be 
marked ; then, in all the preliminary reading, these letters 
will have the same marks. The pupil sees that the a in 
"apron" has a short line over it ; he knows the sound of 
this a and concludes that where the a with such a line 
over it occurs it will have the same sound as in apron, 
and so of the rest. (See Typical Lessons.) 



For a use 


apron 


For e use ear 


" a " 


apple 


it 


e « ^gg 


" a " 


arm 


u 


\ " iron 


" a " 


awl 

• ■ 


i6 


i "ink 


" " 


ox 


ii 


00 " spoon 


" " 


oats 


<* 


00 " foot 


" u " 


umbrella 


U 


oi " oil 


" u " 

• 


bush 

• 


ii 


ou " ounce 


" u " 


tiibe 


ii 


oy " boy 


" ng" 


sing 


ii 


ow " owl 


" g " 


gem 


if 


c " cent 

• 



17 



Sixth Step. 

Analyzing the Vowel Key words and Teaching Sound 
Marks. — Thia is another of the steps in analysis ; it will 
prepare the pupil to enter the field of words alone. In 
analyzing the " consonant keywords " there are no marks 
to be regarded, but there v;ill be marks over or under the 
vowels. (See Typical Lessons.) 

Seventh Step. 

Teaching to Form Visible Words From Sounds » — 

They have already learned what sound is represented 
by b and what sound by a ; the teacher will now teach 
them to combine these. This is the employment of synthe- 
cis in reading. 

This is the step that enables the pupil to make words 
himself. It is the step that was probably taken first by 
the Egyptians ; carried from Egypt by the Phoenicians, 
it gave a prodigious impulse to civilization ; Greece felt 
it in an especial manner. (See Typical Lessons.) 



18 



Eighth Stepo 

Teaching to Recognize Resemblances Among Words* 

— This step applies in reading a power the child already 
possesses. As before said, the child comes to school 
with considerable knowledge and considerable mental 
power. The teacher must avail himself of this knowledge 
and power. 

This step brings the printed word before the child as 
a thing of itself, as an object ; he compares it to another 
object.* This step will gradually introduce him to 200 
new words. 

Words Resembling the ^^ Consonant Keywords." 

Special note. These words are not to be learned as 
were the '* keywords" and '' additional words ;'' they are 
to be used to train the eye to recognize likeness in words. 



ball 


wall 


call 


tall 


fall 


hall 


cup 


sup 


pup 








doll 


pell 










fan 


man 


tan 


ban 


can 


ran 


gum 


mum 


sum 


hum 






hole 


pole 


dole 


sole 


tole 


mole 


jug 


pug 


mug 


lug 


rug 


hug 


lock 


rock 


sock 


dock 


pock 


hock 


mat 


rat 


hat 


bat 


sat 


cat 



*To a child, the giraffe is a long. necked tiger, a mule is a long 
eared horse. Having been taught that a certain bird was a goose, 
a child called ducks ^^ small geese,'' 

^9 



20 



Teaching to Read. 



nail 


pail 


hail 


sail 


nut 


hut 


but 


rut 


pen 


hen 


fen 


men 


rope 


hope 


mope 


pope 


silk 


milk 






top 


hop 


mop 


sop 


wax 


tax 


lax 




yard 


lard 


hard 




whip 


ship 







tail 



wen 



pop 



fail 



ten 



fop 



For methods of teaching and using these words. (See 
Typical Lessons.) 

Words resembling the "additional words." 



lamp 


tamp 


samp 


vamp 




bell 


sell 


well 


tell 


fell 


leaf 


sheaf 








neat 


heat 


peat 


seat 


beat 


cap 


sap 


pap 






book 


look 


nook 


took 


hook 


flower 


glower 








bread 


tread 


dread 






cake 


make 


rake 


sake 


take 


pail 


bail 


fail 


hail 


mail 


box 


fox 








milk 


silk 








foot 


boot 


toot 


root 




man 


pan 


ran 






hand 


land 


sand 






boy 


toy 








fence 


pence 


hence 






head 


lead 








finger 


linger 








table 


fable 








tree 


free 








cat 


hat 


sat 


mat 


pat 



rail 



Teaching to Read. 



21 



dog 


Jog 


hog 


bog 


cog 


cap 


lap 


map 


nap 


pap 


black 


stack 


clack 


■ 




blue 


flue 


glue 






red 


Ned 


fed 






pink 


mink 


rink 


sink 


link 


rough 


tough 








big 


pig 


rig 


fig 


gig 


little 


tittle 








round 


sound 


found 


pound 


hound 


hard 


lard 


yard 






soft 


loft 








kind 


find 


bind 


mind 




run 


fun 


sun 


tun 




walk 


talk 


balk 






rise 


wise 








set 


met 


pet 


let 


net 


go 


lo 


no 


so 




eat 


peat 


heat 


meat 




drink 


prink 








fall 


pall 


ball 


call 




take 


sake 


bake 


make 


rake 


talk 


balk 


calk 


walk 




read 


mead 


lead 






book 


nook 


hook 


look 


took 


hop 


pop 


sop 


top 




and 


sand 


band 


land 





tap 



wig 



get 



For methods of employing these words, see Typical 
Lessons. 



Ninth Step. 



Teaching Regarding Silent Letters and Substitutes. 

— This step requires good judgment, nice tact, and peda- 
gogical skill. The usefulness of the diacritical marks is 
perceived by the adult ; they are of no interest to the 
child because he cannot see their usefulness. He must 
learn their use as he learns the use of birthmarks on 
kittens or chickens, to enable him to make distinctions. 
Silent letters may be shown by using italic letters, or 
marking v>ut with a slanting line ; substitutes may be put 
underneath. 

In this step the pupil is exercised, (1) in analysis, tak- 
ing up the elements of words ; (2) in reasoning, using 
equivalents, a=:b, therefore use 6 in place of a. (See 
Typical Lessons.) 



Tenth Step. 

Teaching to Manage New Words — The child is soon 
to go out into the field of new and unknown words. He 
has clues to guide him but does not know wholly how to 
employ them. Until he has made a good deal of progress 
(1) the vowels will be marked, (2) substitutes used (see 9th 
step), (3) silent letters crossed, (4) hyphens used. 

This step is an employment of all the preceding 
steps. 

22 



Typical Lessons. 



General Suggestions.— 1. The teacher will have the 
apparatus referred to on page 6 — the words, the objects, 
the " word-holders," the pictures, and the letters. 

2. She should practice until, like the printer, she can 
read print upsidedown. 

3. The number in the class should be limited to six, 
for it is not easy to hold the attention of a large number 
of young children. 

4. The lesson is not to be over ten minutes in length. 

5. Seat the pupils around a table, two opposite, two 
at the left and two at the right, so they can give their 
whole selves to the matter in hand. 

6. At the first they must be impressed with the feeling 
that they are to be very happy. Do not attempt to tell 
them of the importance of learning to read ; they cannot 
understand that. A clear idea of the entire procedure 
must be in the teacher's mind ; not only the ten great 
steps in the process of teaching a child to read, but also 
the innumerable other little steps, so that the process be- 
comes an inclined plane rather than a series of steps. 

(The term steps is rather misleading ; the term seems 
to imply that after the first step is taken the child takes 
it no more ; but in reality he takes it over and over. Then 
again, the teacher in one lesson often employs a part of 
one step, a part of the next, and so on ; one lesson may 
thus jnvolve several of the steps.) 

33 



24 Teaching to Read. 

So that instead of "steps" it is better to look at the 
processes as ten different kinds of work ; as ten different 
parts of a great work. 

7. Plan for much seat work with words ; this is to fairly 
immerse them in visible language. After a lesson of ten 
minutes at the table, rest them by some physical training, 
then have some occupation with printed words. Four, 
six, eight and even ten lessons may be given each day, 
with rests between. One of the best, and always pleasing, 
is to give a small picture and let them "set up" a story 
about it in the word-holder. Encourage this in all ways ; 
thus printed or visible language becomes as natural as 
audible language. The "word-holder" books, with the 
words set up by pupils, may be taken home to show what 
has been done at school ; they will give occupation at 
home. 

Caution. Realize at the outset you are to move from 
the field of audible words into the field of visible words, 
and therefore talk as little as possible; let the pupils talk 
as little as possible ; turn the whole mental force on the 
printed words. 

THE TEN STEPS— RECAPITULATED. 

Having shown that things have visible signs, 

1. Show 20 objects and teach names for " consonant 
key-words." 

2. Teach 20 short pattern sentences — " idioms." 

3. Teach additional words. 

4. Analyze words in step 2 to isolate the initial letter. 

5. Teach 17 words for " vowel key-words." 

6. Analyze "vowel key- words" and point to sound 
marks. 

7. Teach to make visible words from " sounds." 

8. Teach to recognize words from resembling known 
words. 



Teaching to Read. 25 

9, Teach as to silent letters and substitutes. 

10. Teach pronouncing new words. 

Apparatus for the Reading Class. 

Teachers may make their own apparatus ; all the words 
used will be found in the appendix to this book, printed 
on stiff paper. These may be neatly cut up by the teacher, 
boxes and word-holders made. If there are ten pupils to 
learn to read, ten sheets of the words will be neededo 

These sheets contain. 

!• The consonant key-words. 

2. " idioms. 

3. " names of common objects. 

4. " vowel key-words. 

5. " resembling words. 

The names of the pupils in the class will be printed on 
cards of the same width as the other words, this can be 
done by each teacher. 



First Lesson. 

PRELIMINARY STEP. 

To Unfold that Things have Visible Signs or Names. 

Teacher. — How pleasant it is to be here around this 
table. We are going to have a nice time. In that box 
are five things ; John, you may open it ; I will not look ; 
on each is a card ; you may take out the card and give it 
to me. I can tell by looking at the card which of the five 
things you took it from. 

You took it from the orange. How do you suppose I 
know ? Because this card has the word *' orange" on it. 
Hand me another card. You took that from the block. 

Taking the orange the teacher asks : What is this ? 

"An orange." 

But its name can be printed ; see, this is its printed 
name. You can learn to tell its printed name. 

This will exhibit the aim and method of the first les- 
sons. The object will be to impress the idea that the 
name of an object can be written or printed as well as 
spoken. The thought may be presented in several ways 
objectively. 



36 



Second Lesson. 

FIRST STEP. 

Objects Represented by Words — On page 6 twenty 
objects were proposed as available to impress twentj^ 
words easily upon the memory. Each pupil will have a 
set cf these objects. Each object has a piece of the 
word-holder pasted to it to hold its name. The teacher 
presents but one object at a time ; shows how the name 
can be taken out and put back. 

Teacher. — (Giving the pupil an object.) What is this ? 

"A ball." 

Yes, here is its printed name. I will put the printed 
name on the ball. 

Other objects will be shown and their printed names 
exhibited. The pupil then takes the K)bject and its 
printed name and joins them. The names are removed and 
he joins them again and again. 

Teacher. — Here is a tiny "cup" for each ; there is its 
name. You may take the name out. Turn the names 
over and shuffle them about. Now turn them back. Who 
can put the right name on the cup ? 

Here is a " doll" for each ; there is its name, you may 
take it out ; take out the names of the ball and the cup. 
Shake them in your hands. Who can put the right name 
on the doll? on the cup? on the ball ? 

SEAT WORK. 

Giving the pupils as many objects as the teacher thinks 
best with their names, they go to their seats and affix the 
names ; they are removed, shuffled together and affixed 
again. The pupils should have a box and be taught to 
put the objects neatly in it and to care for them. 

97 



Third and Fourth and Other Lessons. 

FIRST STZ?. 

Succeeding lessons will introduce the remaining ol>- 
jects ; the lessons will be short — not ever ten minutes in 
length. Avoid wearying the chDdren. 

A great deal will have been accomplished when the 
pupil can look at the twenty printed cards and pronounce 
the words on them. Having handled the object, having 
put the name on it, he has a clear understanding of irhat 
the word means; it is not a misty som.ething, it is a real 
thing ; by handling the object and speaking and handling 
its name his comprehension is made up of tactual, visual 
and audible elements. 

Note. — It is weU in pronouncing tie words ball, doU, etc., to 
dwell on the initial ccnsonant. 

SEAT WORK. 

Objective work with words is wholly indispensable for 
many pupils. A few, probably, inheriting an aptitude, will 
remember the word from seeing it once, but the majority 
need bodily impressions ; this they obtain by handling ths 
wori 

At their seats the pupils can take off the namea, put 
them in a heap ; then, picking up an object, they select its 
name and slip it in the *^ word-holder." 

The teacher can devise many games with the object.^ 
and words. She holds up the "top," for example, and 
they hold up the name, etc. 

28 



Seventh and Eighth Lessons. 

Thinking with Visible Words. — The teacher having 
parts of certain sentences printed on cards takes the 
ball in her hand and says. *' I have the ball." Then she 
takes the doll and says. " I have the doll." She puts 
the ball into John's hand. " What can you say ? " 

^'I have the ball." 

But this is a use of audible words to express a familiar 
thought. Her effort is to teach them to employ visible 
words to express this thought. She selects the words 
"^^I have" and putg them in the word-holder, and adds the 
word ball. 

"Look at that ; that says *I have the ball.'" 

She takes out the word "ball" and taking the "doll" 
in her hand asks, "What can I say now ?" 

"I have the doll." 

"Yes, now I put the word 'doll' in the word-holder. 
Look at it ; what do the words say ?" 

The pupils catch the idea; the words "I have" are 
given to each of them ; they put them in the word-holder. 
The teacher asks each to take the" key," for example, in 
his hand. "Now find the right word and put it in the 
word-holder. What do the words say ?" 

" I have the key," etc. 

SEAT WORK. 

The pupils take the idiom "I have" to their seats, and 
after some physical exercise, busy themselves with putting 
in words to complete the thought. They are allowed 
when each word is placed to say aloud the sentence 
formed. 

29 



Ninth Lesson. 

Another Idiom. — The next idiom to be taught will be 

** Where 13 ?" This the teacher undertakes to shad- 
ow by action. They are assembled and she looks in one 
place and then in another. " What would I say if I should 
speak ? " 

''Where is something?" 

"Yes, here are the words 'Where is.' Put them in 
your 'word-holder; each may put in a word. John^ 
what is yours ? " 

"Where is a doll." 

"What isyour'sMary?" 

"Where is a top." 

It is not best to undertake all the idioms proposed in 
this step before proceeding to the next. The twenty idi- 
oms may be divided into four parts; first teach these 
four. 

I have . 



Where is ? 

Here is . 

See the . 

SEAT WORK. 

It is a law of childhood not to give the attention to one 
thing but for a short time. Do not, therefore, let them 
go from their lessons to their seats and continue word- 
work; interpose something different for ten or fifteen 
minutes. Then by various devices interest them in look- 
ing at and handling printed v/ords. For exan:ple, let 
some one take the words belonging to the twenty objects 
and put them on the objects at haphazard and let the pu- 
pil rectify any errors. Do not make the use of printed 
words distasteful. 

30 



Tenth Lesson. 

THIRD STEP. 

To Increase the Vocabulary of Visible Words. — 

Having taught four idioms the teacher will begin the 
teaching of the seventy-five to eighty words additional to 
the key-words. (See page 14.) 

After teaching ten of these teach four more idioms ; 
then ten more words. 

Use objects. — The teacher will bring in these ten ob- 
jects : 

a lamp a glove 

a bell a pail 

a cap a tube 

a book a box 

a wheel a shoe 

The wheel will be supplied by one of the boys ; the tube 

can be borrowed at a tinshop, use a toy pail and infant's 

shoe. 
The teacher will place the printed name "lamp" beside 

the object and so of the rest and then ask : "Who can do 

that ?" Picking up the cards she hands them to a pupil 

who makes a trial. 



Eleventh Lesson. 

SECOND AND THIRD STEPS. 

The pupils will employ themselves on the idioms and 
the new words. The process will be substantially this : 
Each pupil will have a stout card four or five inches 
square on which some "word-holder" has been pasted. 
Each will select an idiom, as "I have," and add a word, 
as "lamp." The teacher examines the sentence; the 
pupil reads the words and points to the object or handles 
it to assure the teacher that he understands. 

This is a very pleasing occupation. 

Twelfth Lesson, 

SECOND STEP. 

Four More Idioms — Teach next the idioms 

He has . 

Here is . 

You have . 

Give me . 



John holds a shoe in his hand. 

"What can you say ? Tell me." 

If he hesitates the teacher will say : " He has a shoe" 
and give them the words "he has." 

The teacher may give them exercises in describing (1) 
her acts. She may strike on the table,~-they will say, 
"you strike," "walk on the floor," "look at a book," etc. 
(2) Or they may describe the acts of a pupil who will 
whistle, sing, etc. But these are not to be put into writ- 
ten form. They are for general educative purposes. 

32 



Thirteenth Lesson. 

SECOND AND THIRD STEPS. 

The four idioms of the seventh lesson and the ten 
words in the tenth lesson will be learned by some groups 
of pupils very quickly ; but it may be that more than 
three lessons will be needed. Observe the rule not to ad- 
vance if there is doubt and darkness ; let a clear light 
be on their path. Go over the words and idioms learned 
in new ways. 

Lay the ten words on the table face down. Get the 
attention ; turn over one quickly and let the pupils name 
the word. 

Place all the objects on the table and lay the cards in- 
discriminately on them. Ask : " Who will place the cards 
correctly ? " 

PLAYING WITH PPJNTED WORDS. 

1. Supposing the thirty words have been learned, the 
teacher will put down a picture of a boy ; they put beside 
it the word ^'boy." In a similar way this entire list will 
be employed. 

boy bird table 

cat dog trunk 

girl horse wagon 

man woman 

stove house 

tree chair 

2. The pupil puts down a picture and she selects the 
name. 

Ail this is done to make visible words perfectly intel- 
ligible, and to familiarize them with them. 

SEAT WORK. 

They will place the right word next or upon the pic- 
ture. 

33 



Fifteenth Lesson. 

FOURTH STEP. 

Analysis. — Looking forward the teacher puts some of 
the twenty objects before her, and, forming her mouth to 
say '^fan," asks: "Who can tell which one I am going 
to pick up ? Look at my lips.'* 

By similar exercises their attention is turned to the 
first element of the "consonant key words." 

She proposes that a pupil shall attempt to utter a word 
and tells him which it is. He starts to utter "ball,'' for 
example; having formed his lips to utter 5, she says, 
" you were going to say " ball." Thus all the twenty 
"key words" come up for partial phonic analysis, — only 
the first element is separated. 

A further step is to lay down the word "fan" and 
while she dwells on the "f," to point to "f" and say, 
"that is the sound of that letter," and so of the rest. 

A further step is to point to the "f" and ask, "What 
sound has that ?" and so of the rest. 

Sixteenth Lesson. 

SECOND STEP. 

Idioms. — These idioms are studied : 

I want . 

Bring me . 

It is . 



Have you ? 

Put down the idiom "I want," and a word as "doll," 
and let a pupil take this up and put down a word as 
"wheel," and read it. Give each the idiom and let each 
construct sentences, 

34 



Seventeenth Lesson. 

FIFTH STEP. 

Vowel key -words. — The teacher desires to teach the 
following list of words and will bring objects and pictures; 
to teach "arm," "ear," and "foot" she will draw upon 
the pupils themselves. 



apron 

apple 

arm 

awl 

ox 

oats 

umbrella 

bush 

tube 

sing 
gem 



ear 

iron 

ink 

spoon 

foot 

oil 

ounce 

boy 

ow l 

cent 



THE OBJECTS. 

To teach "apron" use a child's apron, pinning a "word- 
holder" to it. 

To teach "arm" use a pupil's arm ; so with "ear" and 
"foot." 

To teach "ink" put some ink in a small clear glass 
bottle ; on this fasten a "word-holder." So proceed with 
"oats" and "oil." 



as 



36 Teaching to Read. 

To teach *'ox" use a picture on a stiff card; to this 
fasten a ''word-holder." So with "bush." 

To teach ''tube" use a piece of paper rolled into a 
tube. 

To teach "ounce" use a piece of lead that is shaped 
like an ounce weight, in which "1 oz." is cut ; the matter 
will be explained to the pupil ; an ounce weight may be 
borrov/ed. 

Note that the short sounds of the vowels are unmarked. 

The pupils will not need these objects permanently, 
nor to own a set as in the case of the objects represented 
by "consonant key-words." Each should handle each 
object, put the proper word in the "word-holder," and 
thus be impressed that a reality is represented by each 
word. After a few lessons they will be able to deal with 
the word intelligently when the object is absent. The 
objects may be wholly in the possession of the teacher. 
Only one set will be needed. 

THB METHOD. 

The teacher takes up the "apron," for example, and 
shows the word "apron," she fastens a piece of "word- 
holder " to it and gives each the word ; and so proceeds 
with the rest. Then the words are taken away and put 
on the table ; the teacher then shows the "apron" and 
asks for the proper word to go in the " word-holders." 
Then one shows the "apron" and asks for the proper 
word to go in the "word-holder." 

Nothing is said about the diacritical marks until the 
words are perfectly learned ; this being accomplished she 
makes that a 

SUB-STEP OF THE FIFTH STEP. 

The teacher putting down the word Spron says : 
*'Look at that first letter; what do you see over the 



Teaching to Read. 37 

a? Is there not a 'flat cap' over the a in your word? 
Say the word 'apron' three times. How do you begin 
that word?" 

"You may lay down the word ear. Tell me about 

that word." 

"It has a flat cap too." 

"Yes, over the e ; say that word three times. How do 
you begin that word ?" 

"You may lay down the word ITOn. Tell me about 

that." 

"It has a flat cap too." 

"Yes, over the i. Say that word three times. How do 
you begin it." 

"Put down the word oatS. Tell me about that." 

" It has a flat cap too." 

Yes, over the o. How do you begin it. S^y it three 

times." 

"Put down the word tubc. Tell us about that." 

"It has a flat cap too." 

"Yes, over the u. You may say that three times. 
How do you begin it ?" 

It will not be necessary nor wise to spend time in talk- 
ing about the sounds at this stage. Pointing out the "flat 
cap" and giving the sound, and causing the mind to asso- 
ciate the form and sounds is the correct thing to do at this 
stage of the child's knowledge. He will soon catch the 
idea that whenever the flat cap appears the a under it is 
to have the same sound it has in ^'apronJ^ And so of the 
others. The teacher must exalt the word in the child^a 
mind; that causes it to become a "key- word," 



Eighteenth Lesson. 

SIXTH STEP. 

Analyzing the vowel key- words. — The teacher de- 
signs the vowel key-words for a special purpose. She 
wants her pupils to know that the a in "apron," the a in 
'''arm" have different sounds. They give them different 
sounds but do not know it ; nor do they really know they 
are using an a. They have only analyzed the consonant 
key- words enough to know that "f" in "fan" has a 
peculiar sound and what that sound is, and so of the rest. 

It is not best to tell them that a has four sounds; that 
would be a mistake. Holding: up the "apron" she asks 
them to put down its name. "Look at me when I say 
'apron.' 

Now put down the word ' apple.' Look at me when I 
say 'apple.'" 

She thus arouses the idea in their minds of a difference 
between the sound of a in "apron" and the a in "apple." 
In future lessons she v\al] develop this, now dim percep- 
tion of a difference, into the power to separate the a in 
each of these words and give its phonic name. Just now 
she is satisfied to have planted the seed of a knowledge of 
the different sounds possessed by the same letter. 

Taking_up each of these words, she gives the first 
sound as a and asks "What word am I going to say ?" 

"Apron." 

"There is a word with this sound in it — U. What 
word is that?" 

"Bush." 

So she proceeds with the others. 

3« 



Teaching to Read. 39 

These exercises train their ears and inform them that 
certain letters have certain sounds, and that certain 
sounds are represented by certain letters. (This state- 
ment they cannot understand in this form and the teacher 
does not try to have them.) 



Nineteenth Lesson. 

THIRD STEP. 

Idioms. — The teacher takes the up remainder of the 
twenty idioms. 

Has he ? 

The is on the . 

The is by the . 

The is in the . 



She gives a boy a book and asks : *^ Has he a book ? 

What did I say?" 

^^Hasheabook"? 

*^Now see me say it with printed words," laying down 
the words, "Has he a book?" You may put down these 
words." When this is done, she takes away the word 
*'book" and says, ''What other word ean we put there ?" 

The pupil suggests " dog." 

"That is good, put that word down ; read it. Now 
each of you may select a word and put in the place of 
' dog/ What is yours, Henry ? What is yours, Mary ? " 

She puts the "zinc" on the "ball" and says: "The 
zinc is on the bail." Now see me say it with printed 
words. She places the words and they imitate her. 

"That is real nice. Now take off the 'zinc' and put 
the word away. Henry, put something else on the ' ball ' 
and see if you can say it." 

Henry puts the "pen" on the "ball," and puts the 
^.Tord "pen" in the sentence and reads it. 



Twentieth and Other Lessons. 

THIRD STEP. 

Additional words. — Several lessons will be given to 
introduce the words on page 10 into idioms. 

Caution. — Do not go too fast ; do not make learning 
to read a burden. Show either the objects of their pic- 
tures and then the word. 

In the case of colors, show a piece of black paper or 
silk and then the word ; thus introduce it ; let the pupil 
see something "black" and handle the term "black." 
So exemplify "red." 

"Hear these words, *I have a black paper.' Show me 
those words." So of "red," "blue," "green." In this 
way introduce a few new words, usually four at a lesson. 
Then review the work already presented. 

(a) Take up the consonant "key-words." Put down 
one after another quickly and let them name them. 

(b) Take up the vowel "key- words" in the same man- 
ner. 

(c) Take up the additional words in the same manner. 

(d) Take up the idioms. 

(e) Take up the consonant "key- words" and practice 
on the sound of the consonants thus : Holding a word as 
*'key" in the hand say, "Who can tell what word I have 
— saying k-k-k repeatedly. 

Do this with all the consonant " key-words." It draws 
attention to an element — applies analysis to words. 



41 



Twenty-Fifth Lesson. 

FOURTH STEP. 

Analysis of the consonant key-words. — The analysis 
of the consonant *' key-words" has already been begun ; 
now another step is to be taken. 

The teacher, holding the word ''ball " in her hand, asks 
some one to tell her what word she has, uttering b-M, 
over and over. 

You have ''ball." 

"Yes, you knew that because I made the first sound in 
"ball." What is that sound ? 

They give b-b-b. This is an important step. It is a 
step in phonic analysis. 

The teacher puts down the letter b and the word "all," 
and then pushes the b away at the distance of a quarter 
of an inch, at the same time saying 6-aZ/, which they imi- 
tate. 

In a similar way she will take up each of the consonant 
" key-words," but not all in one lesson. 

The pupils from this catch the idea that each of the con- 
sonanti has a sound. 

The teacher impresses this idea by saying b-all, etc., 
which they imitate. 

They catch the idea that the word " ball " is not a solid 
thing, but may be split into pieces — that one of these is b. 

The separation of 6 from all (b — all) decidedly helps 
the pupil to separate the b from the all in sounding these 
parts. 

d3 



Twenty-Sixth Lesson. 

SIXTH STEP. 

Analysis of vowel key- words — The analysis of the 
vowel " key-words'' has already been begun ; now another 
step is taken. The teacher taking the word "apron" in 
her hand asks some one to tell her what word she has, 
uttering a-S-a? over and over, dwelling on the a- 

You have " apron/' 

''Yes, you know that because you heard the a soundo 
What is that sound ? " 

They give a-a-a. The teacher puts down the word 
a-pron — separates the a from the other letters 

— thus a-pron and then pronounces it, putting a 
stress on a ; this they imitate. 

In a similar way she takes up ''ear," "iron," "oats," and 
"tube." The other vowel "key- words" are taken up at 
other lessons. The teacher must bear in mind that pho- 
nic analysis is the difficult part of teaching to read, and 
proceed with great care, patience, and ingenuity. 



413 



Twenty-Seventh Lesson. 

SEVENTH STEP. 

To synthesize vowels and consonants. — The teacher 
lays down b. "What sound has it?" She waits for 
them ; if they hesitate she says 6-6-6, over and over. She 
puts down a and waits for them ; if they hesitate she 
says a-a"a., over and over. Placing them aninch apart 
she points to one and says 6 / pointing to the other she 
says a ; this she does several times, they imitating. 

Moving them nearer to each other she continues to 
give the sound of each ; when close b-a is spoken as 
one word. 

Putting down another 6 she says : " Give the sound." 
Then she puts down Q, at the distance of an inch to the 
right ; if they hesitate she says e-C'C and they imitate. 
She pushes the letters nearer, saying the sounds 6-e ; 6-e, 
over and over, lessening the distance until the sounds 
are joined as in be. 

Thus she proceeds with i"6-U- 

This reveals a clue to them for pronouncing words,— 
the great problem for the child who is learning to read. 
At later periods she will show how to write 6 with a, e, i, 
0, u. 

Then she will proceed to b-a-n; b-e-n. All the vowels 
shQ uses will be marked except those having short sounds. 

Here will be seen the importance of having trained 
them to dwell on the initial consonant in the consonant 
key-words. Also of the value of the employment of dia- 
critical marks when the words aprOIl ear, etc., 
were first given. 

44 



Teaching to Read. 45 

The entire lesson should not be taken up with teaching 
to unite sounds, because it is the difficult point in teach- 
ing to read. Parts of several lessons will be needed be- 
fore they can write the letters b-i-t, b-e-t, etc. In most 
of these combinations the child finds no objective thing 
represented. It is merely an exercise in combining 
sounds ; phonic gymnastics. 

Having done enough in synthesis to have them get the 
idea of combining the sounds of the letters, work on the 
other steps will be taken up. 



Twenty-Eighth and Other Lessons, 

EIGHTH STEP. 

Words Taught by Analogy-— The teacher puts down 
the word *^fan;" she takes up the/ and puts a i in its 
place. " What is it now ? " (TaUo) She takes up the t and 
puts an m in its place. " What is it now ? " (Man.) 

She now tells them to put down the word fan, and un- 
der it "tan," ''man/' etc., and calls attention to their re- 
semblance to "fan." 

Then " hole " is put down and the h taken up ; if no 
one suggests a letter the teacher puts down Q,p; some 
talk follows. Then the p is taken up ; if no letter is sug- 
gested she puts an m down. 

Then "mat" is put down and a similar process is 
followed. Thus they learn (1) of the similarity of words (2) 
by knowing how "mat" is pronounced, they know without 
trying how " rat " is pronounced. (3) They begin to give 
attention to the form of words — they are really learning to 
spell. 

This will be a pleasing occupation. The idea which 
the teacher wishes them to catch is (1) that some words 
are very much alike, just the same except the first letter; 
also (2) to train the eye to note the differences in words — 
the important thing in spelling. In this way the attention 
is called to the forms of words. This step will be taken 
up with the others in succeeding lessons. 

46 



Thirtieth Lesson, 

EIGHTH STEP. 

Drilling on Word-Forms.— Most of the words learned 
up to this time can be used to suggest other words differ- 
ing from them in the initial letter. These words are not 
to be learned (memorized) as was "doll," "arm," etc., for 
the reason that no use can be made of them as yet. 
They are to be used to drill with, but too much drill must 
be avoided. 

This exercise should take the form of play ; it is a sort 
of baseball with letters ; it causes nimbleness in pro- 
nouncing. 

Put down "ball," for example, and then taking away 
the 6 quickly put down the A, and demand the name of 
the new word at once. Rightly managed this is an ex- 
cellent exercise. 



47 



Thirty-First Lesson. 

NINTH STEP. 

Diacritical Marks. — Diacritical marks were begun in 
the sixth step ; they have appeared in all the lessons 
after that step. The *' flat cap " over the five vowels has 
been referred to. This has served to give the pupil the 
idea that a mark over vowels is to be looked for ; that it 
has importance. ''The 'flat cap ' over an a tells you the 
sound is — (the teacher gives a long)." The rest are 
shown in a similar manner. 

The teacher takes up the "vowel key- words," now 
they have become familiar with the marks over the vowel, 
to show them that these marks have a meaning. Having 
the word apTOIl before them she asks : " How do you 

begin aprOll.^ Say it three times. How do you be- 
gin arm ? Say it three times." Thus all the "vowel 
keywords" are taken up. 

A further step. She puts down laCC (the a is 
marked). " See the flat cap over the a ; tell me how that 
sounds. Yes." 

If this is made clear in this word they will "catch the 
idea" and be able to sound the word paCC, raCG, 

etc. 

And in a similar way the sounds of the other vowels 
will be taken up. 

A part of every lesson will be the preparation for Seat 
Work. At their seats the pupils will express themselves by 
using printed words, either filling out idioms, or inventing 
sentences. It will be a good plan to put all the idioms on a 
large sheet of manila paper and suspend it where it can 

be seen. This is an exercise in spelling 

48 



Thirty-Second Lesson. 

NINTH STEP. 

Teaching About Silent Letters. — The teacher puts 
down such a word as pail." 
"We don't use the i in this word ; we say pa-l not 

pa-11, that is the reason we use another kind of i; 
it is a silent i, that is, it is not sounded." 

She puts down the word hail. "We do not sound 

the i in this word. Do we say ha-ll .'^ No. That i is 

a silent i." 

She illustrates the idea in "home," "pipe," etc. 

(The final e is usually silent, but they need not be told 
this ; they will see it and thus know it.) 



49 



(< 



Thirty-Third and Other Lessons. 

NINTH STEP. 

Use of Substitutes.— The teacher gives the sentence, 

John has a book." Read it. See, I put a z under the «, 
because you say Kaz. 

When you see a letter under another, then you know 
you are to use the one underneath. She gives further 
illustrations. 

The teacher puts down ''John walked.'' "You say 
'wakt,'so I put the letters Wakt after — John walked, 
(wakt)." 

She puts down " John talked" (takt), and proceeds in a 
similar manner. 

A^ofe. — Let the teacher proceed here with the greatest 
care as this is one of the difficult things in teaching 
reading. Do not attempt to be exhaustive ; only bring 
up such words as the pupil is to use now, not next year. 
" Sufficient unto the day are the difficulties thereof." It 
is quite possible it will not be best to introduce this 
second class of words until books are taken up. 

A SUMMARY OF PwESULTS. 

The teacher's main aim is to give the pupil power to 
natne the words he sees. The steps taken have aimed to 
reach this end naturally, gradually, and surely. 
By employing them the pupil has learned : 

(1) That an object, as ''doll," is represented by a vis- 
ible word. 

(2) That the word '' doll " begins with a certain sounds 
a d sound. 



Teaching to Read. 51 

(3) That all words beginning with d begin with the 
same sound that '* doll " does, 

(4) That d everywhere has the sound it has in " doll." 

(5) That the sound of other letters is shown by marks 
over or under them (except short vowels). 

(6) That combinations have the same sound in all 
places, as all in "ball," "tall." 

(7) That some letters of words are silent, as I in 
"doll." 

(8) That sometimes a different letter is needed than is 
really employed, as z instead of s in " has." 

(9) That many words have two or more parts, as 
pa-per. 

The first five of these points will be made clear by 
suitable lessons founded on the keywords . ' 

The sixth will be made clear by drills on the resem- 
bling words — See page 62. 

The seventh is learned by its being pointed out by the 
teacher; after experience the pupil finds a uniformity 
prevails in this matter : (1) one I is marked silent in 
" doll ;" he will conclude it will be in ball, fall, etc. (2) 
The e is marked silent in "face ;" he will conclude it will 
be in "pine," " time " — in all words where it is at the end. 

The eighth touches the edge of the difficulty the pupil 
is to encounter in employing written language. Hence 
the importance of his using letters, of forming words out 
of letters with his hands. 

The seventh and eighth will be of importance in his 
voyages among new words. 

The ninth has been exemplified by using a hyphen in 
all cases where there were two syllables. 

The teacher will not use the terms " syllable " or " hy- 
phen." She will say, " That word has two parts. Some 
words have two parts, don't they?" Later when the 



52 Teaching to Read. 

word "walking" is used the teacher will give the word 
"playing," asking where the "joining mark" is to be 
put. Thu3 the idea will arise that a hyphen precedes 
ing. Do not teach a rule concerning the "finale," or 
"in^r." The pupil has not arrived at the rule-learning 
stage yet, but he is in a stage where he can draw some 
conclusions. 



Training to Name Words at Sight. 

TENTH STEP. 

In each lesson after the key- words have been learned, 
there must be a little time spent in naming words at 
sight. In teaching to read, as in teaching to play cro- 
quet, there must be " drill." The great point is to make 
the "drill" interesting and profitable. It is important 
that the pupil attack the word at sight — does not study 
over it. He must, in the beginning, acquire the habit of 
"see and say." 

SINGLE INITIAL CONSONANTS. 

Show the word " ball," take away the b and interest 
them to see what you will substitute ; quickly put w and 
let all shout the word "wall. There must be animation ; 
it must be made play. In a similar way proceed with 
"call," "tall," etc. 

The object is to give the pupil power to name these 
words instantly at sight ; this habit will follow him in all 
his after reading. 

DOUBLE CONSONANT INITIALS. 

It is noted by teachers that pupils often find it difiicult 
to start off with words that begin with two consonants. 
There are only about twenty such combinations ; the 
teacher will need to drill the pupil upon these as in the 
case where the word began with one consonant. 

*bl, *br. 

blame bland bleak blend blind 

blink hlow breed blue 

brace brass bread brine 

brink broke brow bring 

Those with a * have been exemplified in the third 
step, so that only five or six remain to be learned* 

S3 



54 



Teaching to Read. 







*ch, cl, *cr. 




change 


chance 


cheese 


chest 




chime 


chin 


churl 






claim 


clam 


clean 


clef 




clim6 


clif/ 


cloak 


clot 


club 


crape 


cram 


creak 


crest 




crane 


crop 


crust 
*dr 


cry 




drape 


drat 


dream 


dreg 


drone 


drip 


drop 


*fl,fr. 


drunk 




flame 


flax 


fleece 


fleck 


mght 


flip 


float 


flap 


flute 


flux 


frame 


frank 


free 


fret 


fright Mil 


froze 


frog 


*gl, *gr. 






glaze 


glass 


glean 


glen 


glide 


glit-ter 


gloam 


gloss 


glue 




glum 










graze 


grass 


green 


grelZ 




grind 


grin 


grown 






gross 


grub 


pi, *pr. 






plate 


plat 


pleat 


plot 




plum.e 


plus 








pray 


prank 


probe 


prong 




prime 


prink 


prune 






s 


5h, sk, si, 


*sm, sn, sf 


), *sq, ^^st, 


*sw. 


shame 


shalZ 


sheaf 


shelZ 




shine 


ship 


shone 


shop 


shut 


skilZ 


skulZ 




• 




slate 


slat 


sleep 


slept 


slime 


slink 


slope 


slot 


slut 





Teaching to Read. 



55 



o 



smack 


smear 


smelZ 


smith 


smut 


snap 


snefr 


snipe 


snip 


snot(7 


snob 
square 


snub 
squalZ 


squib 
th. 






thane 


than 


then 
*tr. 


thin 


their 


trade 


tripe 


trip 


trade 
truth 


trod 

triisa 


try 




*wh. 






whale 


what 


wheel 
wr. 


whelp 




wrap 








• 




TRIPLE CONSONANT INITIALS. 








spr. 






spray 


sprat 


sprite 
str. 


sprint 




strait 


straw 


street 
thr. 


strut 




thread 


thrust 


through 







thine 



UTTERING DOUBLE CONSONANT INITIALS. 

The teacher shows a piece of blue paper or cloth ; 

they compose '' blue." " How does it begin? Say it three 

times" (bl-bl-bl). 

"Put down Ur The teacher adds a. "Say that." 
She takes up the a and puts down C. " Say that." 
Then long i is given ; then long u. Then hr is taken 

in the same way, and so of the rest : el, eh, cr, etc. 
The other vowels are added ; it becomes a drill on the 

bl, with the vowel to help. 
Next the table i3 taken in hand. The teacher places 



56 Teaching to Read. 

" blame " on the blackboard, putting a " flat cap " on the a 
and crossing out the 6, and they " say " its name ; and so 
of the rest ; a few at a time. 

Note. — The power to combine these consonants will 
not be needed at this point, but will be when the field of 
new words is entered upon. 

To read, the pupil must "see and say" at once; to give 
power to do this the'teacher drills to utter at sight single 
and double consonant combinations. 



Beginning to Read. 

A class of pupils may receive several short lessons like 
those suggested each day ; as language is objectively 
presented they will not be mentally fatigued if employed 
in a class eight times, each exercise being not more than 
ten minutes in length. A good foundation will be laid 
by taking the course outlined in the ten steps for under- 
taking reading. The pupils will now be able to proceed 
somewhat systematically. 

SUGGESTED LESSONS. 

The teacher presents a "ball" and a "box" and gives 
sentences like these which they read ; or she asks pupils 
for sentences which they "set up." Suppose one pro- 
duces No. 1, they all read it ; then they read that pro- 
duced by No. 2. Here will be seen the value of small 
classes ; all can see what each " sets up." 

These lessons employ the "idioms" and the words they 
have learned ; several hundred sentences can be formed. 
It is a ball. 
I see the ball. 
Do you see the ball ? 
Where is the ball ? 
It is on the box. 
Have you a ball ? 
Yes, I have a ball. 
Oh, see the ball. 
Who has the ball ? 
Who has the box ? 
Give me the ball. 
Give me the box. 
Put the box on the ball. 

S7 



58 Teaching to Read. 

The teacher presents a "cup" and gives sentences like 
these, or they compose them. 

Here is a cup. 

Do you see the cup ? 

The cup is by the ball. 

Have you a cup ? 

Put the cup on the box. 

Put the ball in the cup. 

I want the cup. 

John wants the cup. 
In this reading as few spoken words are used as pos- 
sible. The cup is placed on the box and a pupil selects 
and sets up such words as he chooses and the rest see them; 
they speak them ; this is reading. 

USE OF SCRIPT. 

Having got the pupils on their feet, so to speak, the 
teacher may use the blackboard, still presenting objects, 
using diacritical marks, the hyphen, substitutes, and 
crossing out silent letters. She will take as '* subjects" 
from three exercises: — 

1. The objects named by the consonant key-words. 
Appendix A. 

2. The objects named by the vowel key-words. Ap- 
pendix B. 

3. The common objects. Appendix C. 

The two examples just given will show the kind of 
sentences to write. 

The pupils may next be allowed to use a suitable primer 
or reader ; but only in the class. But far better than 
the reader will be cards on which suitable sentences are 
printed about objects that are before them, as lamp, glove, 
etc. On these and in the primer the vowels should be 
marked. For seat work they will still use the words and 



Teaching to Read. 59 

letters found in the word box and letter box. In using 
a reader or the cards there should be a drill on new 
words before reading is attempted. If there is halting 
on a word the teacher should not fret or scold, or say, 
"Spell it." 

1. She should be sure the powers of the consonants 
and vowels are known. If not, turn to the key-words 
and work upon them. (See App. A. & C.) 

2. See that the vowels are properly marked. 

3. That substitutes are put underneath. 

4. That silent letters are marked out. 

5. That the syllables are indicated — this may be lone by 
a perpendicular line if there is no hyphen, as '*'pep | per." 

6. A number of words will be presented with out anal- 
ysis — such as the, my, and. 

7. Some irregular words must berespelled, laugh (laf), 
tough (tuf), cough (cof), dipped (dipt), locked (lokt), 
laughed (laft). 

8. A number of words will take u iunder them but 
need to have that sound modified by the teacher^s voice ; 
as in her, bird, firm, third, girl, veil. 

9. In a number of words in which a is followed by 
r the a has a slightly different sound from the a in 
"apple" because of the r, as in bare, dare, chair, there. 

These points are referred to here to urge the teacher 
not to increase the number of diacritical marks ; the 
minute differences will be learned by the ear and not the 
eye. 

The ten steps properly taken should lead the pupil to 
venture out quite boldly into the sea of words before 
him ; if those words are properly chosen and properly 
marked. Suppose "through" is to be one of the new 
words ; the teacher puts u under the last four letters 
and asks them to "say the word." If they hesitate, let 



60 Teaching to Read. 

her turn back to the word " thread," and drill rightly 
upon it. No scolding, fretting, or reasoning is needed. 
If there is trouble with this there will be with other con- 
sonants. There has been a neglect of associating sounds 
with forms. 



Appendix of Words. 

(A) The Consonant Key- Words. 
6all cup doll /an ^um 

Aole jug key look mat 

nut j?en quill rope silk 

fop i;elvet t^ax j/ard ;2;inc 

whip shoe fAread 

(B) Incomplete Sentences. (Idioms.) 

I have He has Take the 

He has Have you ? Let me 

You have May I ? Here is 

She has Does he see ? Oh see — — 

I want Does she see ? See . 

That is Do you see^ ? I see 

That is your Where is — — ? I have a— and a- 

It is a Is this my ? There is a 

Yes, it is a The — is by the — The — is on the- 

This is a The — is in the — The — is by the- 

(C) Common Objects. (Brought in.) 
lamp cap wheel pail box 
bell book glove tube watch 
leaf flow-er pa-per sug-ar mug 
meat bread cake wat-er milk 

Common Objects. (In pictures.) 
chair head girl tree horse 

foot fin-ger stove cat man 

hand ta-ble trunk dog wom-an 

plate boy bird fence wag-on 

Weil-Known Qualities, 

black blue red or-ange yel-low 

green white pur-ple crim-son pink 

sweet rough big round hard 

sour smooth lit-tle square soft 

6i 



62 Teaching to Read. 







Common Actions. 




run 


go 


eat 


talk 


strike 


walk 


come 


drink 


read 


hop 


rise 


smile 


fall 


touch 


cry 


sit 


laugh 


take 


look 


pull 




(D) The Vowel Key- Words. 




(ip-ron 


ear 


t-ron 


oats 


tube 


ap-ple 


egg 


ink 


ox 


i^m-breUa 


arm 


foot 


oil 




bush 


awl 


spoon 


ounce 







Resembling Words. 

Note Specially. These words are not to be learned like 
those in Appendices B and C, they are to be used to train 
the eye to see the likeness in them to other words already 
known and from this be enabled to pronounce them. See 
page 19. 

(1) Resembling the Consonant Key- Words. 



ball 


wall 


call 


fall 


aU 


cent 


tent 


went 


sent 


bent 


doll 


poll 








fan 


pan 


tan 


ban 


ran 


gum 


mum 


sum 


hum 


rum 


hole 


pole 


dole 


sole 


mole 


jug 


pug 


mug 


rug 


hug 


lock 


rock 


sock 


dock 


hock 


mat 


rat 


hat 


cat 


bat 


nut 


hut 


but 


cut 


nit 


pen 


hen 


fen 


ten 


men 


rope 


hope 


mope 


pope 


lope 


silk 


milk 








top 


hop 


mop 


sop 


pop 


wax 


lax 


t^ax 






whip 


ship 









Teaching to Read. 



63 



(2) Resembling the Vowel Key- Words, 



«rm 


farm 


harm 




warm 


awl 


bawl 


pawl 








ear 


tear 


near 




fear 


year 


^gg 


beg 


peg 




leg 




ink 


wink 


link 




rink sink 


oats 


boats 


goats 








ox 


box 


fox 








Ml 


bi^U 


pull 








oil 


boil 


toil 




foil 


soil 


spoon 


loon 


noon 




soon moon 


ounce 


bounce 












(3) Resembling the 


! Additional Words. 


lamp 


samp 


vamp 








bill 


sill 


will 


till 




fill 


leaf 


sheaf 










meat 


heat 


peat 


seat 




beat 


cup 


sup 


pup 








book 


look 


nook 


took 




hook 


flower 


glower 




* 






bread 


thread 


dread 








cake 


make 


rake 


sake 




take 


pail 


bail 


fail 


hail 




mail 


milk 


silk 










box 


fox 










foot 


root 


soot 








man 


pan 


ran 


can 




tan 


hand 


land 


sand 








boy 


toy 










fence 


pence 


hence 








head 


lead 










finger 


linger 










black 


slack 


clack 









64 Teaching to Read. 



blue 


flue 


glue 






red 


Ned 


fed 


bed 




pink 


mink 


rink 


sink 


link 


rough 


tough 








big 


pig 


rig 


fig 


gig 


little 


tittle 








round 


sound 


found 


pound 


hound 


hard 


lard 


yard 






soft 


loft 








kind 


find 


mind 


bind 


wind 


run 


fun 


sun 


bun 


dun 


walk 


talk 


balk 






rise 


wise 








set 


net 


pet 


let 


met 


go 


lo 


so 


ho 


no 


eat 


peat 


heat 


neat 


feat 


drink 


prink 








fuU 


pull 


bull 






take 


sake 


bake 


rake 


make 


talk 


balk 


calk 


walk 




read 


mead 


lead 






look 


nook 


hook 


took 




hop 


pop 


mop 


top 


fop 


cry 


fry 


try 






puU 


bull 


full 






end 


send 


lend 


bend 





wig 



yet 



3.219 



r 




